Love Potion No 9
by Instant Coffee
Summary: Beast Boy realizes his true feelings for Raven, and pursues her by concocting a love potion that'll ensure her love for him...or so he hopes...Many references to TT shows. COMPLETED.
1. Confessions

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Love Potion No. 9

Hope you all enjoy my second ficcy! Oh yeah…  
  
Disclaimer: Must I say it? ::sigh:: Idon'towntheTeenTitanssojustleavemealone. :P

And I don't own Love Potion # 9, the "ingredients" in Love Potion # 9, nor do I own the song or the movie…geez…what else don't I own while I'm at it?! :P

Oh, yeah…and I don't own anything to the song or movie _Love Potion # 9_. So enjoy, anyway…:D

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Ch. 1- Confessions

Beast Boy looked at Starfire with bated breath, fit to cry. "I just…I dunno why, but it _hit_ me, and I thought it wasn't possible, but then I figured…it _was_…I…I…I _beat Cyborg's highest score_!" He hugged Starfire, who optimistically smiled with him. When they pulled away, though, she seemed flustered.

"I am happy for you, Beast Boy, but I do not understand. That is the reason you pulled me from breakfast? Rather than announce this glorious news to all of our friends, as well?"

"No," Beast Boy said, scratching the back of his neck. "That was just to break the ice."

"I see…It _is_ better to break the ice than the camel's back!" said Starfire, mouth upturned and eyes shut.

"…Right," Beast Boy nodded, looking at the Tameranian skeptically.

"Well, then," Starfire began, situating herself even more comfortably on the changeling's bed, "what is this news that you wish to confide solely in me?"

"Uh…well…" Beast Boy made himself comfortable as possible on his bottom bunk, too. "You have to swear you won't tell _anybody_…not a peep about any of this…you're the only girl here I can trust."

"Why is it not possible to confide in Raven?"

The sound of her name made Beast Boy cringe. He gulped, and tugged on his shirt collar. "Uh…"

"Is this _about_ Raven?" the alien inquired further.

"Uh…"

Starfire gasped, and whispered, "Is it possible that you can only confide in me _because_ I'm the only girl on the team?"

Beast Boy blinked. "…No."

A wave of relief swept over Starfire. "That is glorious enough news for me! Please proceed!"

"Just promise you won't say anything," Beast Boy pleaded.

"I promise," Starfire swore.

"OK," Beast Boy sighed, both relieved and nervous. "See…I've been having these dreams…"

_Flashback_

"Me next! Me next!" a blonde-haired teenaged girl chanted, jumping up and down.

Beast Boy surveyed the crowd from the stage, girls everywhere, jealous looking boyfriends on the sidelines, watching the girls.

"Just 'cause I ain't green," one of them moaned, covering his face with his hands.

"I LOVE YOU, BEAST BOY!!!" another girl screamed.

"Same here, baby!" Beast Boy winked. The girls yelled even more, some desperately climbing the railings to get closer to the shape shifter.

"Ladies, please," he smiled, "take it easy, there's plenty of BB to go around…you'll all get my picture I promise." He gave a trademark wink as he looked at the crowd.

"Are you done yet?" someone said, according to the tone, displeased with the picture.

"Huh?" Beast Boy turned around. A cloaked figure stood in the far corner of the stage; she removed her hood. "_Raven_? What are you doing in my dream? Not in line…not wanting my picture…?" He started frowning.

Raven rolled her eyes…even in snoozeville she was her normal self. "Because you conjured my being into your dream."

"Uh…ok…" Beast Boy said.

"BEAST BOY MARRY ME!" another girl shouted in the crowd.

Raven looked at the person and shot a blast of energy at her, knocking her out.

"Hey! She was one of my best fans!" Beast Boy protested. "What gives?"

"I don't care if anyone wants your picture," Raven said, walking towards him. "But the only person who's ever going to _think_ of you as their husband is going to be _me_, got it?" At this point she was holding him by the scuff of his shirt collar.

"Say what?!" Beast Boy said, freaked out.

Raven smiled…Beast Boy wasn't sure if it could happen in reality, but it happened here…and she looked radiant. "Shut up and smile." She turned him to the camera. The camera flashed, and Beast Boy woke up.

_End flashback_

"…and I've been having dreams like these for the past week…in last night's…" Beast Boy gulped, and then smiled dazedly, "we _kissed_."

"Oh, how romantic!" Starfire exclaimed at the top of her lungs.

"Sshhhh!" Beast Boy said, covering her mouth.

"Sorry," Starfire muffled into his hand. He removed it.

"I believe," the alien said quieter, "that that is ever wonderful news!"

"And, the funny thing is," Beast Boy said, "I think I'm really, _really _starting to like her…even if she doesn't laugh at my jokes…" he half grimaced. "I just…I dunno what to tell her…what should I do?"

"I say," Starfire looked him straight in the eye, "you go up to her when she is at peace, sit down next to her, and make her listen. Tell her how you feel…how the complex relationship you now have and what you are feeling conflict and make you feel like gribnorks are oozing out of your stomach, and does she feel the same, because if not then you really _might_ ooze gribnorks…"

"Star?" Beast Boy interjected, cocking his head to one side.

"Yes, friend?" Starfire said empathetically.

"I got it, thanks," he tried to smile.

"Certainly! I am glad I could be of service in the 'keeping of the secrets'!" Starfire grinned from ear to ear, standing up. "And if you _do _ooze gribnorks, I will be more than happy to assist you further by feeding you the Tameranian 'Get Well Pudding'!"

"Gee…you'd really do that for me?" Beast Boy said slowly, trying to sound modest.

"Of course! For that is the role friends play in this universe among others!" Starfire said. At that moment, a low rumble could be heard in the room. Starfire blushed. "Forgive me, I now need to service my stomach, for it is aching with the hunger."

"Sure…uh…knock yourself out," Beast Boy said, suppressing a laugh. Starfire rocketed out of the room. "Oh, and thanks for helping!" He called after her, though he was sure she didn't hear him.

When he was sure she was out of earshot, he slumped back on his bed, taking his hair in both hands. "There has _got_ to be an easier way," he muttered.

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Otayz, that's it for chappie # 1; R & R, pwease? :D


	2. Making it Known

Thanks for all the reviews I got so far! Just to reply to the one that got me _really_ thinking...  
  
MyNaMeIsMuD19524: Um...I dunno what you think it means, but the phrase honestly just popped into my head...how very random, huh? But, now I'm kinda scared of what you're thinking...:S. lolz! :P

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Ch. 2 – Making it Known  
  
_A note'll do, right? No harm in that...and if anything, I could just tell Raven that I wrote that on a dare or something...yeah, that's it...a dare..._ Beast Boy looked over what he wrote about five times before stepping out of his room and walking towards the corridor Raven's room was located.  
  
He looked at the door and hesitated. _Yep...definitely no easy way out of this one.  
_  
He put an ear to the door. No chanting...no movement...nothing. Perfect.  
  
He took the note and folded it about 3 times, and then unfolded it to make the edges align, and then refolded it once more. He knelt next to the door to place the note under the crack.  
  
"Whatcha doin'?"  
  
Beast Boy jumped ten feet in the air and yelled. Cyborg stuck his metallic arm out and grabbed him, placing his other hand over the changeling's mouth to stifle the screaming. When Beast Boy realized who it was, he stopped screaming, crossed his arms as best he could for being clenched, and jeered. Cyborg put him down.  
  
"DUDE!" Beast Boy said, turning to him and waving his arms up and down. "Don't _ever_ scare me like that again! What do you think you were doing!?"  
  
"Trying to freak you out," the half-robot stated simply. "It was too quiet; I thought it'd be funny."  
  
"Well, it wasn't," Beast Boy pouted sharply.  
  
"Uh...then, I'm sorry?" Cyborg sympathized, scratching the back of his head. "Why are you here near Raven's room, anyway?"  
  
Beast Boy's attitude changed quickly. "No reason," he snapped without thought to Cyborg's question, a strained smile plastered on his face.  
  
Cyborg leaned to look over Beast Boy's shoulder and took notice of a folded up piece of paper on the ground. A mischievous grin played on his face.  
  
"Say, BB, guess what I did after breakfast?" the mechanical man teased.  
  
"Say, Cy," Beast Boy mimicked, "tell me what makes you think I care."  
  
Cyborg ignored the remark, however, and replied, "I _re_-kicked your furry green butt by reclaiming the highest score on –"  
  
"NO _WAY_ YOU DID!" Beast Boy gasped furiously, beginning to make his way to the common room.  
  
Cyborg put his hand on his head and stopped him from going further. "You're right," he said, "I didn't." He retrieved the note on the ground, and waved it in front of Beast Boy.  
  
"Again, _not funny_," the metamorpher grunted. "Give – that – BACK!" He reached high for the note as Cyborg held it out of reach and unfolded it.  
  
"'Dear Raven'," Cyborg read, smirking like crazy. "'I didn't know another way to tell you this.' Hmmm...I wonder," he commented.  
  
"DUDE! That's _so_ un-cool of you! STOP IT!"  
  
"'I've been thinking lately...that's right...thinking'," Cyborg started laughing hysterically. "Because _you_ can do that," he said sarcastically.  
  
Beast Boy had enough. He took a deep breath, morphed into a giraffe and took the letter, then changed into a horse and kicked Cyborg into...  
  
Raven's door.  
  
He stuffed the note in his pocket as he changed back.  
  
"Man, come on, I was just kidding!" Cyborg protested, rubbing his ribs and analyzing the damage they had done.  
  
"Yo, Cy, I-I'm sorry, really," Beast Boy said, wide-eyed that he really lost his temper like that.  
  
"Yeah, well, you're _gonna_ be sorry once Raven's through with you," Cyborg taunted, dusting himself off.  
  
"Hey! You can't back out on me!" Beast Boy said angrily.  
  
"_You're_ the one who knocked Raven's door off by _throwing_ me into it!"  
  
"I _said_ I was _sorry_!" Beast Boy repeated.  
  
"Yeah, yeah..."  
  
"Hey, what about you?" the changeling realized. "This wouldn't've happened if you didn't start reading my letter!"  
  
"I was just messing around!" Cyborg explained impatiently. "What's it matter anyway? It's not like you're in love with her."  
  
Beast Boy froze.  
  
"You're _not_ in –?"  
  
"No," he gulped, interrupting Cyborg, all too quickly.  
  
Cyborg eyed him suspiciously for a moment, then smirked. "Riiight. I'll just be in my room, now, fixing my battery pack."  
  
When Cyborg left, Beast Boy swallowed hard.  
  
He knew.  
  
And on top of that, he refused to take part of the blame in knocking down Raven's door.  
  
This was the absolute worse situation Beast Boy could even begin to predict himself in.  
  
Hesitantly, he hung his head and made way to go to the living room to apologize. He didn't even bother with the door; it'd be easier for Raven to just levitate it up. Trying to calm down, Beast Boy stood in front of the portal that led into the common room. When it opened, he only saw Robin and Starfire, both eating sandwiches.  
  
"...which is how the 'Pudding of Forgiveness' originated in Tamaran."  
  
"You guys?" Beast Boy asked, getting their attention.  
  
Starfire jumped; she didn't see Beast Boy.  
  
"Greetings, Beast Boy!" Starfire yelled.  
  
Beast Boy looked at her with alarm due to her volume.  
  
"Do not panic!" she consoled. "We were not discussing your feelings for Raven!"  
  
"What?" Robin said, dropping his sandwich.  
  
Beast Boy groaned and slapped himself in the head.  
  
"I mean...nothing!" Starfire tried to correct herself, but failed.  
  
"You have feelings for Raven?" Robin said, chucking up an eyebrow. "Since when?"  
  
"I am so sorry, Beast Boy!" Starfire said, putting a hand to her mouth. "If it helps, I am sure I can concoct a 'Pudding of Forgetfulness' rapidly as to make Robin forget this _entire_ conversation we are presently maintaining."  
  
"Right, because I'm gonna eat that," Robin scoffed under his breath.  
  
Starfire turned to him in a glaring fashion.  
  
"I-I mean...because I'm gonna eat that...w-when there's ice cream in the freezer? Come on, Star, even _you_ like ice cream more than pudding," Robin stammered reasonably.  
  
"I suppose," she thought aloud, forgetting that the former remark was sarcastic.  
  
Robin wiped his brow with relief, and changed the subject back to what they were previously discussing. "So...about Raven," he grinned.  
  
"Do not tell, lest I condemn you to the status of a 'klorbag varblernelk'!" Starfire warned Robin.  
  
"O...K..." Robin said, holding up both of his hands.  
  
"Well...I don't suppose either of you know where Raven is presently?" Beast Boy cut in gloomily. This was _not_ what he had planned.  
  
"She said she was going to her favorite café for some 'alone time'," Robin answered.  
  
"I would have accompanied her, but she didn't feel the need for some companionship at the time," Starfire chimed in.  
  
"Why do you ask?" Robin probed.  
  
"'Cause I sort of knocked down her door," Beast Boy responded, walking back to the corridor.  
  
"Listen, Beast Boy!" Robin said to his back. The shape shifter just stood there.  
  
"Hmm?" he mumbled.  
  
"If you really do like Raven, and plan on telling her, take her powers into consideration, OK?" Robin asked. It was more of a warning than a question. Beast Boy just nodded solemly and left.  
  
He knew that Robin was right. With Raven having to keep her emotions in check all the time, there's absolutely no way that she'd possibly even consider returning the feelings. Maybe there was someway to help her do so...  
  
The portal slammed shut. Robin looked at Starfire and shrugged.  
  
"Not a _word_," Starfire warned.  
  
"Promise," Robin replied, holding up his right hand. 

---  
  
Beast Boy walked through the corridor with a lot on his mind. Plan B was ruined, because now everyone knew that Beast Boy liked Raven, except for Raven, of course. The day wasn't working out as smoothly as he imagined it would.  
  
Realizing he was right near Raven's room, Beast Boy stopped and looked in. Raven was practically a witch. She had to have some books of spells and stuff. _Just one little peep into her bookshelf..._ Beast Boy prodded himself. _She'll never know._  
  
He poked his head in. All clear.  
  
For a few moments he nosed around, looking at the titles of all the books, until finally something caught his eye. He read the spine of the thinnest leather bound book he had seen yet – _Love Potions: Numbers 1-10_. What was that song? And that movie? The one with Sandra Bullock and that guy...and in the end, they found out they were perfect for each other...for Raven and Beast Boy, that could happen.  
  
_That could_ work. _That could_ actually _work_. Beast Boy reminded himself just how much of genius he was before walking off with the book, now having a reason to lift up Raven's room door as though nothing had ever happened.  
  
Soon enough, if he had to resort to it, Plan C would commence.

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Again, please R & R! And feel free to let me know your ideas! :D 


	3. Loopholes

SORRY I TOOK SO LONG TO UPDATE!!! I was pretty hesitant on this one, I'll have to admit...cuz there were so many ways I could go; I hope this way was the right choice, and entertains the crap outta you guys! :D  
  
_"I'm still getting his drool off my face. I don't need him anywhere near my brain." – Raven, Every Dog Has His Day_  
  
**To all of my reviewers**: Thank you all so much for your advice and kind $$ words! LOLZ!!! I love you all so much! I just wanna give you each GREAT BIG HUGS!!!  
  
**To Marshmello da Strawberry Cow**: Thanks for catching that! :D I am totally aware of how Raven's door works, and failed to show so on here; thanks for being a sport and pointing that out! I made a point to correct that! (I didn't know how to describe the gliding thingerz, so I just took the "hinges" part off, heh heh...:S)  
  
Anyways, let's begin chappie 3...

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Ch. 3 – Loopholes  
  
The book was propped up on a railing of Beast Boy's bunk bed.  
  
_Love Potion #9  
_  
_To contrive this ancient, but effective potion, one will require:  
  
1 cup ginseng  
4 dashes of basil   
3 tbsp. thyme (grounded)   
12 peas   
1 peppermint (optional)  
6 strawberries   
1 cup chamomile   
1½ cups water  
7 tsp. cinnamon  
1 7 in. thread of red or pink silk   
1 hair dryer, stove, or other heating substance_  
  
Beast Boy followed the directions carefully, and looked at the elixir in the bowl that lay on his bed. It was becoming a magnificently sky blue substance.  
  
_After adding the basil and thyme, proceed to alter the color by adding the last strawberry and the thread of silk. If heated for the appropriate amount of time, the substance's color should disappear and become clear._  
  
He plopped the strawberry into the bowl where it half dissolved, and placed the thread of silk in gently, as though he was tucking a baby in for a nap. He plugged in Starfire's blow dryer – he had to borrow a few things from other people for this experiment, of course – and hung it over the bowl, as he watched in awe as the potion gained the clear affluence as promised in the book. He stirred it a little bit longer, and then propped the bowl on his nearest shelf to let it set.  
  
_After allowing the substance to set for 15 minutes, pour it into a vial to keep it lasting and fresh for up to a week. To put the potion into use, pour a tablespoon of it into whatever drink the victim is drinking. The potion will take effect immediately after the first sip and two days thereafter. To continue the process, follow these directions every two days._  
  
Once Beast Boy got past the complicated text, it was simple enough to understand what had to be done. He stored the potion into a vial, and was making his way out of his room when he heard a door close from the distance.  
  
Three people saying a muffled "Hi, Raven" could be heard from the living room. Beast Boy yelped; he didn't expect her to be home already.

---  
  
When Raven had entered the Tower, she came in to Cyborg playing one of his many video games, and Robin and Starfire watching semi-interestedly.  
  
"How was the café?" Robin asked, taking his eyes off the screen, as soon as she stepped into the kitchen.  
  
"Depressing, as usual," Raven said casually, opening up a cabinet near the stove. "I liked it."  
  
She stood on her toes and took a tea bag from the top. She proceeded to collect her cup and some hot water to make her herbal tea.  
  
"Anything new happen while I was gone?" she asked monotonously, now making her way to the couch. It wasn't as though she cared what was going on while she left, but she felt that she owed it to Robin for starting a conversation to continue it with another question.  
  
"You'd be surprised," Robin mumbled, smirking involuntarily as he did so.  
  
Starfire had heard this, and grew wide-eyed at Robin. "You promised!" she whispered harshly.  
  
The whisper wasn't quiet enough to keep Raven from overhearing, yet she went on as though she didn't notice, merely raising an eyebrow, and opening one of her books with an "O...K...."  
  
Robin and Starfire continued on with their whispered spat, until the nearby portal opened up, and they grew quiet at once.  
  
Beast Boy stood there, an oddly shaped lump in his pocket, scratching his neck haphazardly. "Hey, you guys. Hey Raven." He tinged a light pink.  
  
Robin, Starfire, and Cyborg all greeted him back. Raven was the only one who didn't acknowledge him so, which, Beast Boy thought, she should have, seeing as she was given a full-attention greeting separate from the rest. _Oh well...that could change soon..._  
  
"So, what's for the munching?" he said, a little louder, stepping into the kitchen, and opening the refrigerator.  
  
A rhetorical question.  
  
Robin, Starfire, and Cyborg all continued on with their eyes glued to the screen, while Raven simply took her first sip of tea, and grew curious with the taste. "More sugar..." she muttered, closing her book.  
  
She made way to the kitchen once more, and was halted by the now nervous green elf. Raven tried moving left, and Beast Boy simply moved in the same direction. She tried to pass him in the right, but he leaned the same way.  
  
"Beast Boy?" Raven questioned with her unyielding stare. "Move."  
  
"Right...uh...sorry," he said, quickly pushing away from Raven, who looked back at him for a split second, bewildered, and then rolled her eyes. She looked for the sugar packets that were on the countertop.  
  
If she was confused before, Raven didn't know what to feel next when she turned around and saw Beast Boy standing almost like a statue near her cup of tea.  
  
She quickly, but cautiously, approached the spot she was previously sitting in, scrutinizing Beast Boy. He automatically made a show of plastering a larger-than-necessary smile on his face...as though he was hiding something.  
  
"Uh..." Raven said, not sure of how to approach the shape shifter. "Are you..._feeling OK_?" She snatched her herbal tea and clutched it near her chest.  
  
Beast Boy saw this and hesitantly, but vigorously, nodded, stepping away from the spot Raven had situated herself. He dashed off to the doorway nearly at the speed of light, and ran down the corridor that led to his room.  
  
Raven looked at Robin and Starfire inquiringly, but they both seemed to just shrug Beast Boy's behavior off, as though it was nothing abnormal.  
  
She deposited the sugar into her cup, and focused her energy on it. In a matter of seconds, her tea was swirling fervently in her cup, and the next second, it stopped, well-mixed.  
  
Cyborg paused his game for a moment to look at Raven, just like Robin and Starfire were; she disregarded it.  
  
Just as the Goth lifted the cup to her lips, Starfire jumped up as though to halt her action. Raven stopped and looked at her questioningly. Starfire looked at her, then the cup, and pouted slightly, but then shook her head and dismissed the whole action.  
  
"OK," Raven said, "I give up. What's with everyone today."  
  
"Nothing," Robin, Starfire, and Cyborg said simultaneously, and way too quickly.  
  
"Right..." Raven said, obviously not buying the reaction. "And I'm wearing a pink tutu."  
  
"Really, nothing is going on," Robin said, trying to act easygoing.  
  
"That is correct, absolutely nothing!" Starfire chimed in, waving Raven's question off.  
  
She stared at them for a while, trying to read any strange body language, but couldn't come up with a thing. She put the cup of tea to her lips once more and took a sip. The tea was soothing and welcoming to her throat, and...was that _string_ she tasted?  
  
Raven swallowed, put the cup down, and plunged her hand into her mouth in a panicked fashion, not even bothering to be nonexistent about the situation.  
  
The other three Titans looked at her cautiously. She choked on her hand, and managed to tug it away with a thread of silk in it.  
  
She analyzed it carefully, and then looked at her three friends. "Does _this _belong to anyone of you?"  
  
The three shook their heads.  
  
"Then _who_ exactly messed with my tea?" Raven demanded, suddenly remembering the living room didn't hold one other person. "_Where's Beast Boy_?" she said through gritted teeth, apparently steamed at his idea of a joke. The sorceress balled her hands into fists, and turned around, her intention being to find the prankster, when Starfire grabbed her hand.  
  
Raven spun back around, and Starfire sighed. She looked pointedly at Robin and Cyborg and said, "I can hide this no longer. If Beast Boy is to confront Raven with these means, then she has a right to know, especially since she is our friend."  
  
"OK," Raven growled, "what are you going on about?"  
  
Starfire seated herself, and Raven followed suite, taking the cushion next to her.  
  
"Have you noticed," the alien princess began, "Beast Boy's strange behavior lately?"  
  
"Hard to miss," Raven stated, sarcasm etching into her voice.  
  
"Well, it is because...because he likes you," Starfire finished, looking Raven in the eyes.  
  
Raven just cocked her eyebrow up. "Is this _your_ idea of a joke, Star? Because I'm not laughing."  
  
"Like you laugh at anything, anyway," Cyborg murmured, now bored with the situation, resuming his game.  
  
Raven looked in his direction angrily, before returning her gaze to Starfire.  
  
"It's not a joke," Robin said.  
  
"And so he put the string in my tea _because_...?" Raven hinted for an answer, crossing her arms.  
  
"Actually, that was part of a potion he concocted," Starfire established matter-of-factly, poising one of her fingers.  
  
"A _potion_?" Raven smirked incredulously. "But Beast Boy doesn't know any..." A sudden realization showed across her face. "_He went into my room...didn't he_?"  
  
Cyborg nodded feverishly. "Yep, _all_ him."  
  
"Where there's a Beast Boy, there's a Cyborg," Raven snapped, knowing full well what had happened last time they entered her room.  
  
Cyborg gulped and smiled at Raven nervously. "Eh...I'm sorry?"  
  
"Oh, you will be," she said, an evil sort of smile curling her lips. She turned back to Starfire and Robin. "What was he doing there, if you're aware of it?"  
  
"I am sorry to say that I am not entirely sure, but I do know he made a potion," Starfire said, wringing her hands.  
  
"Yeah, he mentioned something about love potions when he went into the bathroom to get Star's blow dryer," Robin instituted.  
  
"So...Beast Boy's infatuated with me for some weird reason?" Raven inquired, though she wouldn't admit it, highly amused with the situation.  
  
"I'm not sure if 'infatuated' is the right word," Robin said.  
  
They were silent for a couple of seconds until Raven jumped up and walked towards the doorway that led to their rooms. "Might as well go see what he did..." she sighed before the entryway shut behind her.

---  
  
Raven pried open her room door..._someone took it right off and tried to place it back_... _Cyborg's weight could've done it easily_.  
  
She looked around her room. Beast Boy had left the place just the way she had left it before retreating to her favorite café. She took a look around, and noticed how her books were leaning on each other slightly heavier than before.  
  
_He took a book_, she thought. _But what could he have possibly wanted?...Wait a second_.  
  
The books were leaning on each other _slightly_ heavier, which meant that it was easily a thin book he obtained. She looked at the books surrounding it...all about managing love and keeping one's chi intact...  
  
_Of course!_ she reflected. _That prying monkey took a love potion book...is he_ serious_?!  
_  
The thought made her become automatically angry. She glided towards Beast Boy's room, rage consuming her more and more each second. And then she stopped.  
  
Is this how he wanted to play? Reigning on someone's free will?  
  
She knocked on his door. No sound or anything. Perfect.  
  
_Then let the games begin...  
_  
She walked to his bed, where the book and an empty bowl were easily spotted. The book was propped up to a certain page. Raven read it.  
  
_Love Potion #9  
  
Probably the most powerful of the bunch, number 9 assumes the role of a clear liquid, if mixed correctly, that makes the brewer's victim of choice liable for deep feelings of unconditional love.  
  
To contrive this ancient, but effective potion, one will require:  
_  
_1 cup ginseng  
4 dashes of basil  
3 tbsp. thyme (grounded)  
12 peas   
1 peppermint (optional)   
6 strawberries  
1 cup chamomile  
1½ cups water  
7 tsp. cinnamon   
1 7 in. thread of red or pink silk   
1 hair dryer, stove, or other heating substance  
_  
How naïve of him...yet, in some strange and twisted way...sort of..._cute_?  
  
_Is_ that _what I'm really thinking?! Maybe the potion did have an effect on me...  
_  
_No it didn't...the first rule of any sort of magic is that it doesn't work when you try to control one's freewill.  
_  
So this is how he wanted to play, was it?  
  
"Then," Raven smirked, "it's only fair to play fair. It says it 'makes the brewer's victim of choice liable for deep feelings of unconditional love'...but it didn't say for _who_..." she reasoned out loud.  
  
Well, this was her chance. If Raven wanted to teach Beast Boy a lesson, it would have to be for _this_.  
  
Come tomorrow...she'd be playing a whole new ball game...with 'happy' as her Most Valuable Personality...

* * *

And so ends chappie 3...hope you liked!  
  
**A/N # 1**: OMG! Talk about associating peoples' names with their qualities...these guys really did it in with Starfire! As most of you know, Starfire's real name is Kori'andr, aka- Kory Anders.  
  
OK, so I got this book out of the library...some Romany gypsy book, and they had stuff on amulets: how to make one, the herbs and stones that are associated with it, etc. Well, here's a quick fun facts lesson for ya...  
  
There are 5 categories for which amulets are commonly made: protection, wealth, love, health, and power... I'm sure everyone's picked up on the strong compassionate quality that Starfire possesses...well, while I was looking down the list of herbs to put in for _Love Potion # 9_...guess what type of herb I found? The name is **Coriander**, folks. Now if that's not absolute care for choosing the most perfectly suitable name for a beloved character, then I dunno WHAT is!  
  
**A/N # 2**: DO NOT be fooled by the directions I put in the formula for Love Potion # 9. I do not know how to actually make Love Potion # 9, nor do I think the thing really exists. The ingredients were all MADE UP from the book I found with Star's name in it, so DON'T TRY TO MAKE IT AT HOME!!! Well, on second thought...do, and tell me how it tastes! :P  
  
Oh, and R & R, por favor! :) 


	4. And the Games Commence

Aww…lolz. Sorry I disappointed alotta you guys, but…'tis the way the story goes. DON'T WORRY!!! I know how it's gonna end, and I think it'll be a real crowd pleaser ;)…if you like that type o' stuff…

So, this chappie has a few references to "Nevermore" if you've ever seen that episode…like the way Raven conjures her personalities and stuff…OK. .  
  
Oh, yeah. And if Raven seems a bit OOC, she's not… technically… because she's just being herself the way her 'happy' self is…but tell me if she seems OOC for being happy cuz I'm not sure how to portray her happiness in character if it wasn't right already. Breathes…Dudes, I have no idea if that even made sense…now _I'm_ confuzzled… :S

Again, thanks for all o' the reviews! Even though some of you hate Raven now and wanna beat the crap outta me, I'd still give each and every one of you GREAT BIG HUGS!!! :D

* * *

Ch. 4 – And the Games Commence

Raven got up out of bed the next morning at around 7 AM. Usually she'd get up and prowl the kitchen at this time to make her herbal tea, but today she meditated profusely – for three hours – in order to ready herself for the day.

She sighed…_What am I doing to myself?_

Finally, after she felt tranquil enough to let 'happy' dominate her other emotions, Raven made sure she was sitting in a proper posture, and then whirled her arms and closed her eyes, concentrating.

There, surrounding the area she occupied in her mind's eye, Raven observed each individual and colorful aspect of her personality ascend simultaneously.

Raven looked around and spotted her happy counterpart, calling upon her with her gaze. Happy Raven approached as instructed, and stood behind the real Raven.

When Raven was ready, the pink-robed aspect of her character merged into her body completely, taking on the posture the original Raven sat in.

When the combining was done, a blue-robed Raven still sat in the middle of her counter egos, but feeling different. Feeling…_happy_. And excited. Like she was on the verge of bubbling with laughter…

Possessed with 'happy' as her waking conscious, Raven walked out of her room ready for breakfast.

---

"So…eh…" Beast Boy said, twirling his spoon around his cereal. "Do you guys know…if it worked?"

"If what worked?" Robin asked through a mouthful of food.

"You _know_," the changeling prodded. "The _potion_?"

Robin and Starfire looked at each other and then at Cyborg. Beast Boy didn't take this as a good sign.

"But…I don't get it…I read all of the instructions, and I did everything that book said!" He furrowed his brow and put his hands in his tousled, green hair.

"We're not saying it didn't work," Cyborg corrected simply. "We just aren't sure how it's supposed to effect her."

"It's supposed to make her love me, DUH!" Beast Boy said, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"We know, Beast Boy," Starfire jumped in. "We have never seen a potion put to work though; hence the reason we are not certain of its working chances."

Beast Boy simply nodded and supported his head with a free hand, still stirring his cereal all the while.

"I wonder what she's up to…I mean, Raven's usually up _way_ before _this_ time of day," he mused.

"Someone call my name?"

The four Titans at the breakfast table looked up to find a blue-clad girl standing in the portal.

Beast Boy automatically straightened up.

"Hey, Raven. How are you feeling today?" Robin greeted, as a team leader would.

"Oh, you know," she said, descending the steps to make her way to the kitchen. "Just peachy."

Beast Boy dropped his spoon. _Peachy? I've _never_ heard Raven say _that_! Actually, I don't think I've ever heard Raven say _anything_ if it wasn't in one, even tone. _He gasped to himself, and then tried not to smile – but that didn't last for long.

"Say, Raven." This was it; this was the test. "How's about you come and sit _right here_, next to me, huh?" He waggled his eyebrows up and down.

Raven looked at the chair he was pointing to and then _giggled_. Beast Boy looked as though he had been struck by lightning. _She hardly ever shows any signs of happiness…and now she's all…well…_happy_…so, did it work?_

Raven stopped giggling, still looking at the chair, stating, "OK," with a shrug.

Beast Boy's mouth dropped. "But…but…but…"

"But…ter? For your bread?" Raven said, passing him the butter on the table, and laughing some more.

Beast Boy simply acknowledged the butter that she gave him, and then grew furious. "Alright, I'll play. _What gives_?" He said, folding his arms.

Raven just stopped laughing, and looked at him blankly. "What do you mean?"

"You didn't come down at 7; you didn't make your herbal tea; then when we see you, you're all giggly, and…'peachy'; and now you're sitting down next to me?! When you _always avoid me at the breakfast table?! _And you usually sit next to Robin or Cyborg?! WHAT GIVES?!" he exclaimed, breathing heavily after saying so much.

Raven just kept staring, and then let another giggle escape. "That's silly, BB. Why would I avoid you at breakfast?"

Beast Boy blinked. "_Because I smell like _tofu_, and I _play with my food. DUH!" He put a hand to his head, frustrated, and a few seconds later realized, "You just called me 'BB'…didn't you?"

"Yep," Raven said, picking up a slice of toast and eating it.

Beast Boy looked around the table. He wasn't the only other one surprised, according to the gaping expressions everyone else wore.

"Look, if it'll make you feel better," Raven compromised, "I'll go make my herbal tea right now, stop calling you 'BB', and sit in between Robin and Cyborg, OK?"

She was just starting to get up, when Beast Boy said, "NO!"

Raven looked at him with an eyebrow raised.

"Uh, I mean," he said, pulling on his shirt collar. "You could still sit here…I mean, you know…if you want to."

He couldn't believe it…it worked…his potion actually worked.

Raven was still standing, and thought for a moment, before replying, "Y'know, I'd take up on that offer, but I don't want Robin and Cyborg to feel all alone or anything."

She turned around to go in their direction, when Beast Boy said, "Now hold on a sec! I don't understand…I…I thought you liked me…" he said meekly, wringing his hands.

"Aww…" she consoled. "Of _course_ I like you…but you're not the _only_ cute guy at this table, ya know," she informed, pinching his cheek, and then sitting herself next to Robin and Cyborg. The two boys just looked to Beast Boy and Raven – who was wolfing down her breakfast at this point – with an eyebrow raised, blushing quite furiously from her comment.

Beast Boy looked at her the same way. _But he couldn't believe it…it didn't work…his potion actually didn't work._

What did he do wrong…? Why isn't she_ spending more time with _him_?_

---

The true Raven still existed in her body; she could feel her figure moving, and knew what she touched, smelt, saw, or tasted. She just couldn't feel emotionally what she would normally feel.

Every fiber of Raven's being was now consumed with happiness.

She didn't know what happiness would do; happiness was a wild card – a vibrant quality trapped in the layers of darkness existing in Raven's mind.

Raven owed her pink-donned feeling a bit more fresh air. She had to admit how hesitant she was about going this far to teach Beast Boy a lesson – which was working brilliantly, according to her friends' reactions – but to trust in happiness is to trust in a part of herself, and she could do that easily. After all, no matter what, she was sure any one of her feelings could keep control over her powers, as they all carried the same gift; all of her traits had a hand in bringing down Trigon last time.

---

"So…" Starfire said, when everyone finished eating. "Is anyone up for 'volleying the ball'?"

"Ooo!" Raven said, smiling. "I _rock_ at that game! Right here! I'll get the ball!" she got up, ruffled Beast Boy's hair (he fainted temporarily from her doing so), and walked into the doorway and up the stairs.

Everyone looked after her, scratching their heads. Starfire decided to fly after her, and stopped Raven in mid-walk when she caught up to her.

"Friend Raven!" Starfire called, placing a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder. Raven spun around. "You do not need to play if you don't want to. We know you usually meditate when we are engaging in a particular sporting activity up on the rooftop."

"So…you don't want me play?" Raven said, her smile faltering.

"No! That is not it at all!" Starfire shook her head. "What I am saying is, you do not have to play if you have better things to do."

"But I don't have better things to do. I meditated three hours this morning, I'll be fine; I wanna play!" she insisted, trying to walk again, but Starfire halted her once more.

"One more thing, Raven."

Raven turned to her again, a questioning look on her face.

"I understand that you were angered when you discovered Beast Boy's scheme against you, but you do not have to put on a false act just to deceive him. Please, Raven. Do not go any further. I insist you tell him that you found out about his love potion and then go back to your normal being," Starfire pleaded.

Raven just looked at her weirdly. "OK. I dunno _what_ you're talking about…that whole 'plot against me' or whatever. Are you trying to suggest that the boys are unattractive? Because then I say that you _so_ need glasses or something, Star."

"Are you saying," Starfire said, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. "That you have…_feelings_…for the boys on our team? That you are not 'pulling the prank' on them?"

"Yeah, _that's _pretty much what I mean," Raven said, smiling again. Her friend obviously didn't hear the underlying sarcasm.

"Then it worked?" Starfire muttered in awe, looking back at Raven, who was now proceeding to get the volleyball by running down the hall, pretending she was an airplane.

---

The true Raven had the urge to laugh so hard at Starfire's reaction when she left. _Feelings for the boys…honestly…no one even _suspects_ that this is a hoax yet…_

And, she would admit, she was rather shocked by that, seeing as how Beast Boy's incentive in constructing a love potion in the _first_ place was so that she'd share the same feelings for him as he had for her.

Raven _did_ feel sort of…bad…in lying to Starfire about her deception, but if _they_ wanted to get involved in her plans to teach Beast Boy a lesson, then so be it.

Let them all get a taste of my medicine…, she giggled.

* * *

Alrighty, pals – I think you know what to do…and tell me your interpretation of 'Happy Raven'…if she's portrayed how you think she'd be portrayed in the cartoon/comics. Spank you much and peace out for now! :D, :), :P, and etc.


	5. Epiphanies

Alrighty, so there are officially seven chappies to this baby…that's right! LUCKY NUMBER 7!!! In French, the number is "sept", pronounced like "set"…YAY! ('tis my fave anime face!). 

This'll prolly be the longest chapter in the whole story…so, enjoy!!!

MICROSOFT SPELL CHECK SUCKS; BUT THE THESAURUS ROX MAH SOX!!! :P

* * *

Ch. 5 – Epiphanies  
  
Starfire ran into the living room, knocking Beast Boy over in the process.  
  
"Dude, watch where you're go –" 

"It _worked_," Starfire said, her eyes lighting up with awe.

"Huh?" Beast Boy said, rubbing his head where Starfire hit him.

"It _worked_. The love potion actually _worked_."

"Well, yeah," Cyborg said, putting a foot on the stairs.

"Star, anyone could have told you that," Robin said lightly, walking over to her, and placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Yes, but…" she sighed. "I must confess, I never thought it would."

"Why not?" Beast Boy said, sounding offended.

She started pacing back and forth. "Because, on my planet, there are people who know magic quite well. They have mastered the knowledge of magic so well that they are able to perform many tricks and brew many potions; however, regardless of how good they are at magic, there is always one rule that applies: they can never overpower the strength of one's freewill. It does not matter how hard any of the magicians try – freewill is a powerful force that can not be broken by magic. That is why I was hesitant to believe that Beast Boy's stratagem could be nothing more than a frivolous concept. I was very clearly mistaken." Starfire finished her rant to three now thought-provoked boys.

"So, you're saying that on your planet, magic couldn't break a person's freewill, no matter how powerful the source?" Robin inquired.

"Correct. That is the first rule of all magic, as it is not possible there. Here, I suppose, it _is_ a possibility. After all, the practice of overriding one's freedom of choice can be traced back to similar events in our past, like engaging in that combat against the Puppet King, yes?" Starfire responded.

The boys shuddered at the mere memory of such an almost impending doom.

"Hello?!" Raven called, sounding slightly irritated. "I know I'm not the only one here who agreed to play volleyball!"

The four Titans occupying the living room looked at each other and then voiced that they'd be up on the rooftop momentarily.

Raven sighed. "Just don't take so long!"

"OK! We promise!" was the general reply.

"And get me a glass of water while you're down there!" she yelled from above them.

"OK!"

"NO…WAIT!" she shrieked.

The four jumped from the volume her voice held, and waited for her to say something, preparing for trouble.

"Get me some herbal tea instead, if you don't mind? You know how to make it, right?"

The four breathed a sigh of relief. "Yeah," they said, in a rehearsed manner.

---

Making their way up the stairs, Robin, Cyborg, Starfire, and Beast Boy continued their conversation on Raven and the love potion.

"That's the one thing I don't get, though," Beast Boy sighed, holding Raven's tea and gesturing with his free hand. "The potion I made was supposed to make her fall in love with me…but instead, I think she likes us all."

"Did it _say_ that exactly?" Robin said. "That the 'victim' is supposed to fall in love with the person who concocted the potion?"

Beast Boy thought for a moment. "Well, if you wanna read in between the lines a little bit, then I guess not, but reading in between lines never got me anywhere," he shrugged.

"Well, then maybe you should pay her more attention."

"Are you outta your head?! Cy, have you not seen me near her just about every waking moment today?!" the green adolescent exclaimed.

"You're not near her right now," Cyborg said.

Beast Boy looked at him thoughtfully. "Point taken."

"What I'm saying is," the humanoid continued on, "take her out on a date tonight. Can't hurt your chances, I mean the girl's under a potion. It's not like she's gonna whip out at you any second just for asking."

"I dunno…" Beast Boy said.

"I think you should," Robin agreed. "It _can't_ hurt your chances. Plus, it'll get her away from us, which means she can _only _pay attention to _you_."

"OK!" Beast Boy didn't even think about his reply. The fact that she'd be paying the most attention to him was quite a tempting offer. He was set to ask her.

They climbed the stairs a bit faster now, and opened the door to the rooftop.

"Finally," Raven said, panting.

"Uh…Raven?" Robin scanned the court and observed what his teammate was doing. "What are you…?"

He lost his words, watching Raven bounce the ball from one side of the court, fly to the other side, and bounce it back.

"What's it look like?! Playing one on one…readying myself to beat the crap outta you guys!" she smiled, now stopping her game, and looking at her friends who seemed as though their mouths would fall off their faces at any given moment.

"OK, so who's ready to play?" Raven said. "Girls against boys? Or girl against boys and girl? What?"

"If I may, I'd say girls against boys sound just fine!" Starfire said, going over towards Raven.

Naturally, the girls won.

---

"Best time to ask her," Cyborg nudged with a wink.

Beast Boy gulped, and walked over to an excessively celebrating Raven, who was high-fiving and hugging Starfire while laughing all the while.

"Oh, yeah," she said, while Starfire was giggling at her every impression. "And remember when he tried to spike the ball, and I was up at the same time, and then I got to it right before he did, so I hit it, and got him in the head?!" She started laughing hysterically. "That was so funny!"

_Having a conversation; don't wanna interrupt – interrupting would be rude, oh well…_ Beast Boy thought, ready to turn back around, when Raven spotted him.

"Speaking of funny…" she said, releasing the rest of her giggles. "Whaddup, 'B'?"

"Uh…" he scratched his neck, and looked at Cyborg, who prodded him on with a shooing hand gesture. Raven just looked at him, as though expecting a joke of some sort. "Nothing but the sky, baby? Heh…"

Raven blinked, looked at Starfire, and then started cracking up again. "Good one!"

Beast Boy smiled. "Yeah, well…plenty more where that came from!"

"Yo, BB!" Cyborg yelled impatiently.

Beast Boy flinched. _Man, could Cy put on any more pressure?! I'd like to see him do this…sheesh._

"Say, Rae," Beast Boy began.

Raven nudged Starfire. "Ya hear that, Star?" she sniggered. "That rhymed! Say BB, maybe you're a poet, and didn't know it!" She cracked up again.

Starfire just looked at her curiously.

"Er…Star?" Robin yelled. "Let's…uh…go into the living room, huh? Make some snacks for everyone after a hard days' play?"

"Oh, I know _exactly_ what I'm makin'!" Cyborg said, licking his lips and retreating to the stairway. "Waffles always help out a big appetite… _with real eggs_!" he shouted, descending the steps.

"And I propose that we perhaps concoct an array of Tameranian puddings for sampling! We can make the 'Pudding of Bliss' for those who are in need of a lifting in the spirits from losing. And perhaps the 'Pudding of Laziness' for those who wish to potato the couch; and the 'Pudding of Wellness'…" Starfire kept listing different varieties of pudding as Robin led her to the staircase.

"On second thought, maybe we'll just order pizza," Robin muttered.

"Extra cheese!" Raven called, before Robin closed the door to the stairs.

She looked at Beast Boy, who was scratching at his neck again.

"Fleas?" she said.

"No thanks…listen, Rae," he began, as seriously as possible, not at all paying attention to what Raven had said. He was looking at the ground.

"Yeah?" was the short reply.

"I…uh…wanna know…if um…you…uh…" He took a breath and started over. _Why was this so hard? This was _Raven_. He talked to her so many times before this. Why choke up now?_

"Wanna…you know…go catch a movie tonight or something? I-I heard…a-about this cool party downtown," he offered. "Rundown warehouse and everything…sort of like that place Star's sis took us…b-before she got arrested and stuff…y-y'know?"

Raven smiled at him. "So…you're asking me…on a date?" she said, innocently enough.

"Um…I guess. _Yeah_," he gave in, crossing his fingers. "So, you in?"

"Well I don't see why not…"

_Yes!_

"But I already made plans."

Beast Boy felt like a truck ran over his stomach. "Say what?!"

"What."

"No, I mean…when," he said. "When did you make plans?"

Raven estimated the time. "Oh…about…I dunno. Right when you asked me?"

Beast Boy raised an eyebrow.

"It's not you, BB. It's me."

"Oh yeah, feed me that line…" he said, crossing his arms, and lowering his ears sadly.

"I'm serious. It _is_ me. I wanna hang out here the rest of the day."

"Lemme guess…meditating?" he sighed.

"Heck no!" she said, making Beast Boy jump slightly. "Hello?! I know you were here when Cy got that new game, because you got the highest score on it so far, and I made it my duty tonight to try and beat it."

Beast Boy rubbed his eyes and blinked. _Yep. It's still Raven standing in front of me…_

"But…I don't get it. I thought video games were, y'know_…pointless_ to you, and all that."

"Most things in life are," she said, waving his comment off. "But if there's only pointless things _in_ life to take part in, might as well make the most of it."

"Uh…OK," a brief hint of a smile lingered on his face.

"I'm free tomorrow, though," she confirmed. "How's about that, huh? You and me and all of tomorrow. Sounds good?"

"Good?! Sounds _gr _–" Beast Boy stopped himself and went back to playing it…exaggeratedly…cool. "I mean, yeah, that's good. Whatever."

"Cool," Raven smiled, running to the stairs. "Last one to the living room has to eat Star's pudding!"

"Hey, no fair! CHEATER!" he yelled, running after Raven.

---

The true Raven looked at herself through her mind's eye.

Was she really that discreet…that no one found her out yet? She thought the whole 'happy' idea would've gone awry…she thought the whole personality flip was obvious. Or did they just not care?

Either way, nothing had caused her to lose her dignity and self-respect yet…although that video game _could_ do it.

_But what would _they_ know? They think I'm under a love potion, for goodness' sake…_

Not to mention anything that made her lose her dignity would be confronted, and she'd regain her true nature once more, when Beast Boy simply learned his lesson.

Who knew it'd take so much time, though?

---

"HUZZAH!"

"It's 'Boo-yah'," Beast Boy corrected.

"Yeah, that works, too."

"Wow, Raven," Robin said, clearly stunned by his teammates virtual gaming skills. "How come you haven't shown us how good you were at this before?"

"Good?" Raven said, not at all pleased with his comment. "HELLO?! I got the highest score! You call _that_ good?!"

"Uh…" Robin said, poising a finger to try and correct himself.

"Just kidding," Raven said, smiling and waving off the Boy Wonder's comment. "Besides, I have a reputation to maintain."

Everyone sweat dropped at this. Raven was doing something she wouldn't normally be caught doing even if it killed her – all for the sake of her reputation, which, at this point, could be considered entirely tarnished.

Raven ignored the stupefied silence, though, as she yawned and said, "Well, my mission is done. I've gotta get my beauty rest for tomorrow morning. We've gotta date, don't we BB?" she winked, and waltzed off into the oblivion of the corridors.

Beast Boy breathed on his fingernails and rubbed them against his shirt. "That's true. Gotta get some shuteye."

"So, she said 'yes'?" Robin questioned, looking at Beast Boy idly.

"Yep…to the _whole, ENTIRE _day!" he said, smiling wide.

"That is excellent!" Starfire remarked. "I would like to initiate a celebration of some sort. Perhaps with – "

"Sleep?" Cyborg interrupted, yawning. "Yeah, I'll toast the two while I'm in dreamland, sound good?"

"Not a bad idea," Robin agreed, stretching. "I'm off to bed, too. You two coming?" he said to Beast Boy and Starfire.

"Yeah, I'll be off in a sec," Beast Boy announced.

"Alright. Well, good night, you two," Robin said, walking towards the doorway.

"Good night and pleasant dreams!" Starfire returned.

The doorway shut behind Robin and Cyborg, leaving the changeling and alien princess alone.

"Well…good night," Beast Boy said, walking towards the portal.

"Beast Boy, wait." Starfire sat on the couch, looking slightly glum.

"What's the matter?" he asked, sitting down on the couch next to her, and placing a hand on her shoulder.

"An apology is in order," Starfire established.

Beast Boy looked at her curiously. "For what?"

"For not believing you. For not believing that your plan could actually work when put through. It was a hard plan to contrive – to deceive Raven as so – and I did not think it could be pulled off. And for losing faith in you like that, I am sorry," she stated.

"Hey, it's OK," Beast Boy said. "Really, there's nothing wrong with that. Heck, I didn't think my plan could go underway at one point, too. I lost faith in myself. There's no need for you to apologize."

"Yes there is," she admitted. "There is one more thing."

"…What?" he blinked.

Uncertain of whether or not this was the right time to confess, Starfire took a deep breath and mumbled what happened, anyway. "I was not a good secret keeper. When you put the drop of your concoction into Raven's tea, I almost told her right then and there what happened. I wished that she not have her freewill mutilated…I wish that that never happen to any of our friends. I was going to divulge your secret, Beast Boy, just to save her any new and forced feelings that she may not want to feel in the first place."

Beast Boy just continued to look at her; she seemed solemn.

"I remember, when we had switched bodies due to the Puppet King's actions, we didn't know how to handle each other's abilities. It took control and learning of each other – bonding. We became somewhat closer after that event. Raven told me exactly how dangerous she could become if her emotions were not kept 'in check' as she called it." She moved her fingers into quotation marks.

"After that day, when we returned to normal, I was convinced that the only quality Raven needed in a friend was understanding, and I planned on giving her as much understanding in me as necessary. I would never have dreamed that someone as powerful and dangerous as her could be manipulated by a simple potion. When she drank the potion, I feared for her, and did not tell her what happened until afterward, as I feared for you, as well. I feared selfishly – that you would dislike _me_ if I told her beforehand."

"That's not true, Star," Beast Boy comforted as best he could. "I'd still like you."

"What I am trying to say," Starfire concluded, "is that Raven is an exceptionally powerful person with many conflicting feelings. If she does not control her emotions, and is led astray by something so simple, I fear that something in her could get loose; the something you saw that day that she reigned victoriously on Doctor Light. I am only grateful that nothing disastrous has occurred in her from this experiment."

Beast Boy remembered clearly now. How could he have been so stupid not to think of her feelings in the first place?

Robin's warning revived in his head from yesterday. _If you really _do_ like Raven, and plan on telling her, take her powers into consideration, OK?_

He knew now what had to be done.

"Tell you what, Star?" he said, grinning a bit. Starfire looked at him questioningly. "I'll show Raven one of the best times she's ever had, and I won't give her that potion like I'm supposed to tomorrow. If she doesn't like me by the end of tomorrow night, then it just wasn't meant to be." He put on as brave a smile as he could. "Whaddaya say?"

"I say, that is a very well improvised plan," she nodded.

"Good."

"Then, I am forgiven?"

"Of course," Beast Boy said haphazardly.

"Then," she beamed, hugging Beast Boy, and then edging towards the doorway. "I bid you good night and pleasant dreams." She yawned and proceeded to the direction of her room.

"Ditto!" he called back.

* * *

Otayz… so, R & R, yes? .


	6. Dating Games, Part I

And now for a couple thousand announcements :D…

Alrighty, I said I was gonna _try_ and get this done and posted by June 4th, but as you can see, that didn't go so well…DARN OFFLINE PLANS (except for seeing Harry Potter, b/c that was fun…)!!! Grrr… :l

Actually, I was trying to get this up yesterday, but my mom hogged the internet for her work all day, and every time I asked, she'd say maybe and delay the time even MORE by getting out of her chair and preoccupying herself with other things. Then it was around 10 pm, and she said NO for sure. So here I am, getting this thing up today. I apologize for the delay, but I tried my best. :S

I also seemed to have lied unintentionally in the 5th chappie…I said that that was prolly gonna be the longest chapter, and was clearly mistaken…that chapter was merely foreshadowing the longevity of the last two…

Again, hugs and Dairy Queen Cheesequake blizzards for everyone! Thanks so much for taking your time to R & R my ficcy; it helps me to improve my ever-so-amateur writing skills and provide better entertainment in upcoming stories and chappies, etc. :D

As for the moment in which I cunfuzzled **mini-moni**: When Happy Raven said "Fleas?" it was because BB was scratching his neck (again :P), and he wasn't paying attention to what she had said, so he said "No thanks…". Call it a lame attempt at humor or something…oO, :P. And thank you so much…I'm touched to be your first review (if I understood correctly) and to be on your fave stories and authors list…words cannot express how good it makes me feel to know that I'm entertaining you! :D

And that goes for all of you who've put my story or me on one of your lists: Fave story or author and author alert list. I'm truly touched to be there…I work hard for it that's for sure! :D

Oh yes, and to **TamerTerra**: First off, thanks for reviewing both my ficcies :D, and (secondly,) all will be explained shortly (in Ch. 7)…

And so…I present to you…chappie number…six…

****

WARNING: CONTAINS HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN MOVIE SPOILERS!…sort of…carry on, now…:P (Oh yeah, and I don't own Harry Potter, either! But I wish I owned Tom Felton…he's gotten even hotter! ::drools:: :P)

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Ch. 6 – Dating Games, Part I

Beast Boy was slumped against the wall outside the Titans' bathroom. By this time in the morning, the changeling would normally be restless – using up quite a bit of energy competing against Cyborg on the Game Cube, or perhaps persuading the Titans to try his newest tofu creation. This time, however, he was helplessly awaiting Raven.

"You done yet?" he mumbled, now slouching onto the floor.

"No," was the muffled response.

"How about now?"

"No."

Beast Boy sighed. "Now?"

"Yep."

"How about now?"

"I said 'yes', already!" Raven stated from inside the lavatory.

"Oh," Beast Boy said, now standing up properly. "Why didn't you just say so?"

He dusted himself off, and positioned himself right in front of the bathroom door, readying himself for Raven to come out.

The door opened, and Raven stepped out majestically. "So…?" she said, spinning around once. "Whaddaya think?"

Beast Boy's face fell. He looked up at Raven inquisitively. "Ha, ha," he remarked sarcastically. "What 'cha hiding behind the cloak get up?" He pointed at her blue cloak – the one she always wore.

"Just the rest of my traditional suit," she said, spreading the cloak slightly to reveal her leotard.

Beast Boy blinked, and then scrutinized her. "You mean, you were in the bathroom for _an hour and a half_ and you didn't even _bother_ to make yourself look any different than from when you came in?!" He slapped himself on the forehead. Raven simply looked at him with her hands on her hips, stifling a laugh. "I don't get it," he said, shaking his head. "What do you ladies _do_ in there?!"

Raven just giggled, and sighed. "Oh, BB. You have so much to learn about girls." She laughed some more at the confused expression on Beast Boy's face, and then grabbed his hand and dragged him through the corridor and into the living room, where the other Titans members were relaxing on the couch.

"OK, guys," Raven called, as they got to the front door. "We'll see ya in a bit."

"Alright, take care!" Cyborg said, in the midst of furious button clicking.

"Yeah…what he said…left…leeeeft…YEAH!" Robin said distractedly. "NO!!!"

"You know what I'm gonna say right?" Cyborg smirked.

"Yeah, and I don't wanna hear it," Robin muttered irritated.

"Well, here it goes anyway: BOOYAH! BOOYAH!! AND BOOYAH AGAIN!!!" he laughed.

"REMATCH!" Robin declared. And the two set off again.

"If I may inquire," said Starfire, leaning over the couch to look at Raven and Beast Boy, "what are your intended localities today?"

"Uh…" Raven pondered, putting a finger to her bottom lip, "I'm not sure." She looked at Beast Boy inquisitively.

"Loads of places!" he smiled. "Y'know…pizza, the movies, the park…happy places!"

"YAY!" Raven boomed. "I LOVE happy places!"

Beast Boy grew wide-eyed for a second at Raven's abrupt comment, and then calmed himself to a smile and reassuring nod. "OK, so we're off!"

"Farewell for now!" Starfire said, waving to them until their bodies were remote from the other Titans due to the closing entranceway.

GAME OVER.

"WHAT?!" Cyborg yelled at the game.

Starfire turned back around to look at the screen. "I believe it says 'game over', Cyborg."

"I know what it says, I just don't know why!" Cyborg commented.

Robin pointed to the top right hand corner of the screen. "You _are_ aware that the game has a time limit?" he said, raising an eyebrow.

"Since when?!" Cyborg protested, bewildered. "Nobody told me this! And now we're tied!"

Robin just eyed him weirdly before sitting himself back onto the couch.

Cyborg merely shrugged at this, and then sighed his way back onto the couch, as well. "So…wanna do anything else?"

"I dunno…" Robin answered in a half-committed tone.

"Well I for one," Starfire said, situated between the two boys, "do not wish to stay potato-ing the couch knowing all the while that we could be in the midst of an ever joyous activity of some sort like our friends, Raven and Beast Boy, are presently undergoing."

Cyborg stared at her blankly for a second, and then leaned forward to comment to Robin, "She…_does_ know how to breathe, right?"

Robin looked at Starfire for a moment in a mixture of awe and curiosity – how she could say all that she had just said without sparing a second to regain breath was beyond him. He looked back at Cyborg and shrugged.

Cyborg relaxed on the couch once more and zoned his focus out on the TV screen. "Where'd those two say they were going to, anyway?"

Starfire leapt at the chance to maintain a conversation. "I am certain Beast Boy said he would take Raven to 'happy places', such as the parlor of pizza, and the 'movies', and perhaps they would journey to the park."

Robin looked at Starfire with raised eyebrows. "Happy places?"

"Indeed."

Cyborg chuckled a little. "Happy places," he muttered. "Man, if Raven wasn't on that potion, I'd say she'd freak at Beast Boy for even_ taking_ her to someplace; even more – someplace happy."

"Yeah…happy doesn't suit Raven," Robin said, chortling at the mere thought of it.

"I disagree," Starfire said, crossing her arms. "I think that Raven's opportunity to experience as unbridled a joy as she has never felt is indubitably suitable."

Robin and Cyborg just shrugged at each other…again, and then Cyborg took notice. "Y'know, now that I realize it, I'd say Raven's been acting pretty weird lately."

"She _has_ been under the potion," Robin said pointedly.

"Yeah, but it's not that," Cyborg said, waving him off. He explained further. "I know she's under that little love potion, but as far as I'm concerned, that's only supposed to make her…I dunno…_in love_? Not as…_happy_ as she's been lately."

"You know…" Robin said, shaking a curious finger at him, "you've brought up a good point. I don't even remember her being _sarcastic_ ever since Beast Boy gave her that potion. And he told us what the book said."

"Are you trying to say," Starfire chimed in, "that the potion is having some sort of effect on Raven's feelings? Because then I say that love would make any person happy, yes?"

Then it hit him. "Of _course_…why didn't I see this before!?"

"What do you mean, Cyborg?" Robin said, narrowing his eyes at the android interestedly.

"Look. Quite a while ago, I think it was that Doctor Light we were after…"

"You are referring to that time Raven was overtaken by some sort of emotion that led her to attempt to maim Doctor Light into a fit of hypothermia?"

Cyborg blinked. "Something like that."

"Then I do believe I know very well of the occasion you are talking about!" she said, clasping her hands together.

"Oh," Robin said, nodding, "you mean that day we had 'breakfast for dinner', and couldn't find you or Beast Boy because you were in Raven's room?"

"Right," Cyborg said, pointing a finger at Robin so as to acknowledge his statement. "That day, Beast Boy and I were sucked into Raven's mind by a portal she had on her dresser, disguised as a mirror."

"So that explains where you two were," Robin said, listening intently.

"And that's not the half of it," Cyborg smirked, feeling confident and genius all of a sudden. "When we got sucked into her mind, we saw a whole bunch of different sides of Raven that…well, let's face it, we never knew _existed_."

Robin and Starfire glanced at each other and then looked back at Cyborg attentively.

"When we were trying to get out of her mind, we came across all sorts of different sides of her personality – each holding a certain emotion that she's constantly having to keep under control. Man, I wish you'd all have seen it…I mean, she's so complex…having to hold back all of those feelings so they could only stray and be themselves in her mind and all…" he rambled. The other two raised an eyebrow, and when he realized he was straying from the conversation, he continued onto his point. "What I'm saying is, there were so many sides to her, and none of which we've seen for a while – "

" – except for her happy side," Robin finished.

"Yep. That little pink one. She's acting almost like her happy side is all she's got right now," Cyborg stated.

"So you mean to say," Starfire jumped in, thoughtfully, "that perhaps Raven's freewill was undisrupted after all? That she is merely…," Starfire gasped, so Robin concluded her statement.

" – _pretending_ to be under a spell. But, why would she do that?" Robin contemplated.

"I would like to offer an answer!" Starfire beamed, raising her hand. "It could be because Beast Boy went into Raven's room in the first place, she is seeking some sort of revenge to teach him a lesson once and for all!" she suggested.

"Not a bad theory, Star," Robin said, amused at how quickly the answer came to her. "But why would she put herself in such a position?"

"I dunno," Cyborg shrugged. "'Cause she's Raven?"

"Well, it'll teach Beast Boy a lesson, that's for sure," Robin commented, chuckling with amusement.

"Yeah, that furry little elf had it coming to him with all the times he's messed with Raven," Cyborg agreed.

"So all is fine?" Starfire said, making sure. "Raven is doing this of her own accord? She is being happy to teach Beast Boy the troubles of what may occur when one takes away her ability to control her emotions?"

"That's what it seems like," Robin nodded. "So…do we tell Beast Boy?"

Cyborg thought for a moment, and then said, "Yeah…no. Let him wallow in the mess he's created."

"Yeah, you're right," Robin smiled, slouching onto the couch once more.

The three heaved a sigh simultaneously and stared at the blank TV screen.

"So…anyone up for _Street Racers II_?" Cyborg asked.

"I'm in!" Robin said, grabbing his controller once more. A second later, the two boys were clicking their controllers' buttons furiously once more.

Starfire simply looked at the two, heaved another sigh, and leaned back into the plush cushions, staring blankly at the screen. This was going to be a long day…

---

Beast Boy sighed, placing his head on his hand. This was going to be a long day…_ but I don't mind that…_ he thought, smiling.

He watched Raven dreamily, in awe at how someone with such a petite frame could have such a big appetite. She devoured three New York cheese pizza slices and was on the verge of pursuing the fourth, when she halted her action and looked at Beast Boy, smirking as she imitated his pose – her head on her hand.

Beast Boy snapped back into reality when he saw this, and questioned her motives for imitating him with a raised eyebrow, tilting his head to one side.

"I'll race ya," she said, acknowledging the pizza pan that held the last two slices.

"You're gonna race me?" he said, both eyebrows up now. "Y'know that I never get full," he warned. Then seeing Raven cross her arms as though saying 'yeah, right', he added, "OK, almost. Almost never get full."

Raven giggled a bit, as though ignoring his statement. "So, do you accept the challenge?" she asked, readying her hands to grab one of the last slices.

"You're on," Beast Boy leered, readying himself for his slice, as well. "3…2…1…GO!"

They both grabbed their slices and were off. Beast Boy practically choked on his first bite as he tore off half of the slice, and Raven was munching little by little, never taking her mouth off her pizza, although, she had to admit, she was rather amused with the green adolescent's approach. She wanted to laugh at his eating style, but that would buy him more time.

"You had a good approach, and I almost thought you'd beat me for sure when I gagged on my pizza," Beast Boy said, licking his fingers, "but I guess I'm just too good for you," he shrugged.

Raven swallowed her last bit of pizza, and then laughed. Beast Boy just looked at her and laughed as well, not sure what exactly he was laughing at.

"That was so much fun!" she managed, between laughs, and then got competitive again, slamming her fists on the table. "Let's do it again…rematch."

The way Raven glared at Beast Boy made him gulp and reach for something to say. He sheepishly scratched his neck while saying, "A-Actually, Raven…I was hoping we could, uh, catch a m-movie, right now…y'know, if that's cool and all…?"

The gilded Goth cocked her head to one side, analyzing Beast Boy. "Do I get to choose the movie?" she said, innocently.

"Uh, yeah! Sure…" he shrugged.

Raven simply nodded, and then jumped up and grabbed Beast Boy's hand, shouting, "YAY!"

---

Beast Boy walked in amused and anticipating, and came out of the theatres confused, listening to an elated and sophisticated Raven explain the most complex scene of the _Harry Potter _movie they just saw.

"…see? It's because of the fact that time continues and history does not change, that Hermione and Harry were able to use the time-turner in the _first _place, and rescue Buckbeak and Sirius. And I'm sure somewhere in another continuum, Hermione is still _getting_ her time-turner to begin with. It's an endless cycle of things. And when – "

__

" – I…think I get it, Rae," Beast Boy said, rubbing one of his temples part in confusion – and part to concentrate on getting Raven's voice in one ear and out the other quicker.

Why does she have to be so smart?

Beast Boy looked up at her. _Gawd, she's pretty…_he mused. He remembered the dream…

"If anyone's even going to think_ of you as their husband, it's going to be _me_…"_

He wondered what their babies would look like.

"BABIES?!" he gasped, in wide-eyed terror. How could he even _think_ like that…well, on the contrary, wasn't it _because_ he thought like that in the _first place_ the reason that made him break into Raven's room to make that potion?

Raven looked at him oddly. "Yeah…babies. I'm sure in another continuum, Harry is still a baby, as well as Hermione and Ron, and every other living being. My theory would be that every minute of every hour of every day, week, month, year, etcetera…could be relived over and over again depending on where in eternity one exists…"

Maybe that's why babies popped into my head, Beast Boy reasoned. _After all, she's talking about them right now…_

"…and you're not listening to a word I'm saying, are you?" Raven smirked, hands on her hips, as they entered the park.

Beast Boy snapped his head up and looked at her, searching for some excuse all the while. "I…well…I was…um…er…"

Raven giggled for a while at his stuttering, and then looked at his hand…and took it in hers.

Definitely extreme, but if it'll get me his confession…besides, what does he_ know? I'm "under a potion" for goodness' sake._

Beast Boy looked at his hand interlaced with hers. He knew he was blushing – his face burned so much. He had to look at her though…

He tilted his head up and looked into Raven's eyes – he could _swim_ in them, they were so blue – smiling and blushing all the while. Then, his stomach panged, and he felt guilty. "This…this isn't right," he moaned quietly, unlacing his and Raven's hands and leading her to a nearby rock to sit.

"What d'you mean?" 'Happy' Raven questioned in an innocent fashion.

"I have to tell you something…" he sighed.

Yes!

Raven looked at him intently, trying to act curious.

"You see…" he began.

Here it comes!

"I have a call."

"…What?" she blinked.

"Yeah, I think Star's paging us," he remarked, taking out his Titans' communicator.

"Welll…can't she…wait?" Raven said, exasperatedly.

Beast Boy looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "…It could be trouble."

"…Right! Of course!" she said, laughing lightly in an embarrassed manner.

Beast Boy just continued to look at her funny, and opened up his communicator to Starfire's pleading face.

"FRIENDS!" she yelled into the communicator, making Beast Boy jump from the urgency and volume in her voice. Desperation was apparent in her tone. "Thank the Lord of Tameran that I have located you!" she whispered frantically. "Are you busy?"

"Well…not really…just talking," Beast Boy said, scrutinizing the alien for her tone. "Why?"

"Please hurry back!" she cried. "I am in need of some sort of companionship at this time. The games have tormented me long enough!"

Beast Boy finally took notice of the background. Behind Starfire's head, he could make out two cars racing, and Robin and Cyborg could be heard hissing at each other.

"Uh…Star?" he said, chancing a look in Raven's direction. She was expressionless, but her arms were crossed, suggesting she may be upset.

"Yes?" Starfire answered.

"We're kind of in the middle of a date," Beast Boy hinted at her, whispering into the communicator.

Starfire looked with frantic eyes at Beast Boy, who was unmoving. She finally sighed and gave up. "Very well," she said, as though on the verge of tears. "Continue forth. I am sorry to disrupt. I will deteriorate amongst the plush cushions of this forsaken couch now. Good bye."

Beast Boy cast a look at Raven, with sorrowful eyes, and then turned back to Starfire, who was now making a show of closing her eyes and leaning onto the couch mournfully.

"Star? Wait!" he said.

Starfire looked up quickly, her eyes filled with hope once more.

"Come meet us at the park," he offered. "Get outta the Tower."

"Really?" she said, hoping against hope that he was serious. "You are certain that I would not be disrupting?"

"Well…" he looked in Raven's direction once more. She cast a tense glance at him, and then softened at Starfire's plea. She smiled, and nodded. Beast Boy smiled back at her. "Nah, you wouldn't be disturbing anything. It'd be great for just us three to hang out together for once!"

"Oh, a trillion thank yous!" Raven heard Starfire say. "This is so glorious! I am eternally grateful! I have no knowledge of what else to say!"

"Hey, Star? Could you keep it down? We're in the middle of a game."

Beast Boy snickered at Robin's comment, and erupted into a fit of laughter at the expression on Starfire's face afterwards.

"Listen, there's nothing else to say," Beast Boy told her, when he finished laughing. "Just come on over."

"Again, I thank you!" she smiled joyously, her face now disappearing from the communicator's screen.

Beast Boy clamped his communicator shut and returned it to its rightful position in his belt, turning to Raven. "You sure it's OK she comes?" he said, coming to her.

Raven heaved a sigh, and then smiled again. "Yeah, it's OK," she confirmed. Beast Boy returned the smile.

Damn it…so close…

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ONE MORE CHAPPIE TO GO!!! And you can BET that'll be the longest one! :D. Happy reading! (And reviewing? :D _hint hint…_:P) 


	7. Dating Games, Part II

OK, so I'm on Cuban time. But I swear to you I tried my hardest to finish this baby in one night and put it up…just didn't work out exactly as planned is all :P.

Alright, this chapter is more than twice as long as my one-shot ficcy, so I suggest if you still wanna read this, you get yourself comfortable, start popping that popcorn, and get to reading…

**WARNING:** Still contains a _Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban_ movie spoiler.

**Flashback Key:**_italicized words in quotation marks means that the a person in the present-day time (Raven or Beast Boy) is speaking.

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_

Dating Games, Part II

After Starfire flew over to the park and greeted Beast Boy and Raven in a more over-joyous manner than normal for her, the trio decided to cross the green to the water's edge and skip rocks, breaking the water's surface and sending ripples about.

When the expansive blue of the sky seemed to disappear within the royal pinks and golds it now carried, the three Titans climbed up the nearest building to the rooftop and remained there about an hour after the sunset, just talking and people-watching.

"I have never participated in such an enjoyable activity as this," Starfire said with a laugh, as Beast Boy pointed out a random man in a brown business suit and started imitating what he must be saying and thinking at the time.

Raven looked down at the people ten stories away, as Starfire continued to laugh. The dark girl couldn't help but not pay attention, however, as she felt centered at the time. Being here, up on this rooftop, in the dimly lit Jump City streets was so tranquil to her.

And familiar.

She wanted nothing more right now than to just be consumed in the darkness and become her true self once more.

She had spent a whole entire _day_ with Beast Boy, and yet, she got _nothing_ out of him. Nothing out of _it_. If there was anything to be learned, Raven thought it would be for her to hold her grudge in another way. Take her problem with Beast Boy out on him the instant she found out. It would be way better than having to wear another façade over the emotionless being she already had to be.

"…Raven? Friend Raven? Why do you not respond?"

Raven shook her head and snapped back into reality. "Huh?"

Beast Boy furrowed his brow and walked over to her. "Hey," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You OK? You haven't talked much at all. Something wrong?"

"No," she said, matter-of-factly. "I'm just…hungry," she implied with a shrug.

Starfire had a bright look in her eyes. "Great idea, Raven! We shall fetch some food, as I am in want of the nourishment, as well!"

Beast Boy nodded. "You guys just chill out for a sec, OK? I'll scope out where the Burger joint is from here." With that, he morphed into a bird and whisked away into the purple sky.

Raven maintained her posture this entire time – her arms around her legs, spacing out into oblivion.

Starfire looked at her inquisitively and decided to walk over to her and stand next to her sitting body near the edge of the building.

"Raven," she said finally. "Are you mad at me? That I am possibly… intruding upon your outing with Beast Boy?"

Raven looked at Starfire and shook her head. "Of course not! I'm…fine! Couldn't be happier, honestly!" she smiled as sincere as possible. It's not that she didn't want Starfire around, it's that she wanted that darn confession…

"Very well," the Tameranian nodded, falling silent.

Within the time of silence, Raven decided to stand up, perhaps pace a bit until they heard word from Beast Boy.

"You know that you are free to act normally around me, Raven," Starfire said abruptly, after what seemed like an eternity, her eyes on the distant buildings.

Raven jumped. "…What did you just say?" she inquired of her friend, walking towards her.

"You are free to act normally around me. You had me fooled yesterday when we were about to engage in the sport of volleyball, but Robin, and Cyborg, and I have discovered your secret. You are merely _pretending_. To trick Beast Boy. Isn't that so?" she said, smirking at Raven.

"O…K…I don't know _what_ you're talking about," the dark girl denied, laughing, anyway.

"You know very well what I am talking about," Starfire countered, looking Raven in the eyes intently. "You are falsely disguising yourself through a part of your personality we hardly see just to make it seem as though Beast Boy's potion had worked. You went through loopholes to flirt innocently with Cyborg and Robin at the same time. You engaged in the video games – "

" – and won," Raven huffed.

" – and won – " Starfire repeated, "because you thought such mannerisms would count for being under a spell of some sort – which they would."

The real Raven slightly combated with her happy alter ego to resume her body in order to talk seriously with her alien friend. She looked at Starfire, stunned, and gave in. "I was too obvious, then, wasn't I?"

"Not at all," Starfire said, ever optimistic and waving a careless hand. "In fact, you did a great job carrying out your plan of vengeance – you could have fooled any of us!"

"_Really_? And I thought I was too evident all this time…"

"But at the same time, we all thought the potion had worked, so it wasn't as manifest as you were thinking," Starfire stated. "In fact, all of your plans would have worked out perfectly fine, indeed, had we not known that magic cannot change a person's freedom to think and choose."

Raven was about to say something, but the sound of her and Starfire's communicators got in the way. Starfire opened hers up to Beast Boy's voice.

"Hey, Star. Listen, the Diner's five blocks North from where you two are. You want me to come back and get you?" he said.

Starfire looked at Raven's tension-filled face. "Thank you for the kind offer, Beast Boy, but we will decline. I'm sure Raven and I can find the place. We will meet you there." She shut the communicator, and put it back where it belonged.

"You're going to tell Beast Boy, aren't you?" Raven sighed.

"Absolutely not," Starfire announced. "This is between you and him, not you, him, and the rest of us. You may still proceed through the rest of the night in your happy demeanor, if you please. I just wanted you to know that we were…um… 'on to you' if that is the correct phrasing?"

Raven shook her head at this. "I just don't understand how – "

"Friend Raven…I know," Starfire said flatly, like it wasn't going to change. "Robin, Cyborg, and I. We know. I only hope that you will not follow in Beast Boy's footsteps, but choose a better way to resolve this problem. That is all. Shall we fly?"

Raven nodded in response to Starfire's speech and question. "OK." With a jump from the building's edge, the girls were off to the Diner by way of sky.

"I must admit, though, Raven," Starfire remarked, "that it is very refreshing to see you so happy. I only wish you were free to be so more often."

She looked at Raven, and the two beamed at each other. _At least Starfire understands…_

---

"Well, Star," Beast Boy said, as the trio approached the door to Titans' Tower. "I hope you're feeling better, and not so…deterior – ational? Is that even a word?" he thought aloud, scratching his head.

The girls giggled. Happy Raven was still very much dominant in Raven's body, and Starfire didn't mind. After all, she even said that it was nothing she should have been involved with to begin with.

"I am very much obliged," Starfire said happily. "I just hope my presence did not hinder the rest of your night."

"Nah, it's all good. 'Sides," Beast Boy said, shrugging, "I really didn't have much planned after the park, so it was really just a matter of good timing and what we all felt like doing when you called."

Starfire smiled widely, stepping inside the door.

They reached the living room to the typical fight in Titans' Tower – Robin and Cyborg wrestling over the controller. As Raven, Beast Boy, and Starfire approached though, they stopped, looking at each other for lack of knowing what to do.

"Hello, friends!" Starfire greeting in her sanguine fashion. "I trust you both had fun while we were gone, yes?" she clasped her hands together and smiled brightly.

"Yeah…lots of fun," Cyborg said, looking at Raven and Beast Boy pointedly.

"So…uh…how _was_ your little outing?" Robin said, trying not to smile.

Raven decided to speak on the subject. "Oh, it was great! We ate pizza, and saw _Harry Potter_, and went to the park, and when Star here came," she pointed a thumb at Starfire, "we went skipping stones and people-watching. I'd say it was one of the best days I've ever had!"

"_Really_?" Robin said, both eyebrows up, clearly impressed.

"Yup. I didn't have to pay for a single thing," she smiled, nodding.

"Well…that's…cool," Cyborg said lamely. "Yeah…so…I'm beat from all those video games…I'm gonna call it a night."

"But…" Beast Boy started.

"Y'know, sleep sounds good right now," Robin agreed hastily. "I'm off to bed, too."

"But…" he repeated.

"Well, then, I am certain I must participate in the eight-hour ritual of slumber," Starfire said determinedly. "I shall go fetch my sleeping garments and be off to bed. Pleasant dreams, and thank you for a wonderful non-video game filled day!" she said sincerely to Beast Boy and Raven.

"Are you guys serious?" Beast Boy asked, as though it were a joke. "Dudes, it's not even 9 o'clock yet!"

Cyborg and Robin froze, but Starfire merely continued skipping down the hall, humming some sort of Tameranian tune on her way.

"Uh…" was all Cyborg could come up with.

"Really?" Robin said, as though he were surprised. "It seems so…late. Must be the video games."

"Yeah! It's the…_definitely _the video games!" Cyborg confirmed. "Gets hard on the eyes, y'know? All that…that starin' up at the screen and all…"

Beast Boy and Raven just looked at them with crossed arms and an eyebrow up. Clearly, they weren't buying Cyborg's excuse.

"OK-nice-talking-to-you-guys-I'll-see-you-later!" Cyborg said quickly, running out of the living room, Robin not too far behind.

Beast Boy and Raven were the only ones that remained in the living room.

"So…you gonna go to sleep, too?" Beast Boy asked, as though sleep at this time was the most absurd thing he'd ever heard of.

"Nope, I'm not all that tired," Raven said, walking towards the couch and sitting down.

Beast Boy just stood there, unaware of whether or not to join her, when Raven's voice called out for him.

"_You_ going to bed?" she asked.

"Um…no. N-Not…not now."

"Then what are you doing by the door, silly?" she giggled. "Come and sit." She lightly tapped the cushion next to her and smiled at him.

Beast Boy hesitantly made his way down the steps to Raven's side.

When he sat on the couch, all he could do was look down. He couldn't manage to look at Raven's face. He couldn't bear to know that all the fun he had in the past two days would be over with and forgotten in a few moments' instance.

If he had to tell her, though, the time was _now_.

"Raven," he managed. "I…I need to talk to you."

Raven looked at him confusedly, and took his chin in her hand, turning it so he'd look at her; however, Beast Boy was determined not to, taking any means possible to keep his eyes looking to the floor.

The Goth seemed perplexed. She removed her hand from his face, and put it over the couch. "Is…something the matter?" she guessed.

Beast Boy resumed looking at the floor. "You're so gonna hate me after tonight," he groaned, putting his face in his hands.

Raven lifted an eyebrow. "…I am? Why?"

"Just…please don't get mad when I tell you this."

"…Could you possibly look at me while you're saying this?" she asked sweetly.

Beast Boy sighed inwardly and got up the nerve to look at her face-to-face. If it weren't for his want to confess something to her right now, he would have shuddered a great deal. It pained him to look Raven in the eyes, knowing full well that he _made_ her that way…that she wouldn't truly be acting or saying anything to him right now, like this, if it weren't for him making that potion.

"I'm so stupid…" Beast Boy muttered, shaking his head. "Why did I even think this up? I'm a mindless…idiotic…Raven, I'm so sorry."

Raven smiled at him, and put a hand on his shoulder. "For what?" _Come on, say it…_

A frustrated Beast Boy started to let it all out. "For you…for making you _be_ this way. Sheesh…I was _so stupid_! I dunno why I didn't listen to anyone! I mean, Robin's over there before the thing was even _made_ and telling me to take your powers into account. And then Starfire's telling me practically the same thing about how dangerous you could be if something so _simple_ like my stupid potion could take control of you…" He continued rambling for a good minute.

Raven felt for him, she really did. But, nonetheless, she couldn't give up. Not now. Not when he was just starting to learn his lesson.

She did however, interrupt his rambling to say, "OK. What are you going on about?"

"Raven," he said, still furious with himself. "In a few minutes, you're gonna be back to normal. I put you under some kind of spell to _make_ you spend time with me, and…fall in love with me," he added sheepishly, gulping. "But that's _not_ how you really feel. You really…I dunno…I just get on your nerves a lot, and I thought, ever since I…just…just forget it."

_I should just stop him right now…he's had enough. _

_No he hasn't. He hasn't even _begun_ to learn his lesson. _

Raven kept fighting inwardly with her emotions, as Beast Boy began talking again. 

"Listen. I _know_ it's that love potion that's making you all happy and junk around me, and I _know_ how much I annoy you in real life…"

"That's not _completely_…" Raven attempted.

"…but, the truth is, I couldn't find another way to break it to you, so instead I was being a stupid, selfish idiot by creating that dumb potion to make you feel the same way. And I'm really sorry." Then Beast Boy realized something else. "…But, at the same time, I'm _not_ that sorry."

Raven blinked. "You're not?"

"No. Because, before you took a sip of that tea, I never _once_ saw you any happier than you were today. So, I guess you could say that I'm glad I put that stuff in your tea, too, because I know the happiness you're capable of if you were only really allowed to let yourself loose for a day."

"You mean…you made that potion just to show me a good time?" Raven asked. She felt her self come to her senses, pushing aside the happy façade and returning normal slowly.

"Well, it's kind of the only way you'd let me," he shrugged. "Anyway, I should get to bed before I don't see the morning. You're really gonna hate me in a few minutes…" He came across another realization. "That's OK, though. Because I still like you whether or not you return the feelings…and, man! It feels good to get that off my chest," he breathed. "And I'm OK with you not returning the feelings…I guess." He shrugged. "So…while the fake you is still here, I just wanna say goodnight…." He looked at her more nervous than before now. "Usually, dates get a…y'know…kiss," he gulped, pointing to his cheek, "but I'm not even gonna bother asking. Because then you'll probably be traumatized later on, heh heh," he sighed, trying to make light of the situation. "OK, so…'night."

_You are so _evil_. Honestly, give the kid a break, will ya? I mean, his heart's practically bleeding at this second!_ One of her emotions said sternly.

"Hold on," Raven said, calmly, even though, deep down, she was feeling pretty hectic. "Beast Boy, come sit. We _really_ need to talk."

Beast Boy winced as his name was called, and reluctantly sat back down. He straightened up when he recognized… "You just called me 'Beast Boy', didn't you?"

Raven nodded.

The changeling looked horrified. "Uh…heh heh…_Raven_! Back to normal so soon? I'll, uh…just be in bed now, bye!" He sprinted as fast as he could to the door, and would have made it, had Raven not caught on fast enough to surround his body with her black energy.

"Nuh-uh-uh," she said, bringing him to the couch once more. "Beast Boy, I'm serious."

"I feared as much."

"We really need to talk," she connoted, ignoring his comment. He sat back down, and breathed in deeply.

"OK," he said, ready for the full-blown lecture he was expecting.

"You had your turn, and now it's mine."

Beast Boy analyzed her profile before giving her a questioning look.

"You have to promise me, though, that you won't get mad at me."

"Are you mad at _me_?" he asked.

"I won't have a reason to be soon if you give me your word," she stated matter-of-factly.

"OK. I solemnly swear," he said, putting up his right hand.

"Ah, so I see you _were_ paying attention to the film," she discovered, not as though she wanted a change in subject, though.

"Well, the part with the Marauder's Map was pretty awesome," he suggested. "The twins were cool…and that was probably my favorite…hey. Wait a minute. You remember the…how could you remember? You're not supposed to remember!"

Raven got into explanation mode. "Beast Boy? Get comfortable," she said.

He did as directed and looked at her, a mixture of awe and confusion readable on his face.

"O…K…so I see I've got a lot to explain," Raven decided. "OK. Beast Boy, I'm going to do this as quick as I can, so just try and follow me along, OK?"

Beast Boy nodded.

"As much as you'd probably like to think you're a genius, that love potion idea was one of the worst – imaginative – but _worst_ ideas you've ever come up with."

"I heard that," chuckled Beast Boy neurotically.

"I don't think you understand," Raven said. "What I'm saying is that the potion didn't even _work_."

Beast Boy gave her a look that said he wasn't buying her explanation. "Oh, yeah, right. Please. You were all happy and junk once I gave you that thing."

"There was _string_ in my herbal tea, for goodness' sake, Beast Boy. Did you really think I'd let your weird behavior get by me for once second?"

Beast Boy's chest swelled importantly. "Maybe," he suggested.

"Well, it didn't," she sighed, hoping that he'd understand all of this before midnight. "First rule of magic, Beast Boy: you can never, _ever_ impose on someone's freewill, no matter how powerful the potion and how good the magician."

"…You mean, Starfire was right?" he said dazedly.

"Mmm-hmm."

"So…why were you acting so weird for the past two days?"

Raven told him everything. About how she found out to how she conjured her happy alter ego to dominate all of the other emotions in her body.

"So I was paying a trick on you and you were playing a trick on me at the same time?" he asked, awestruck.

"Right."

"…Wow." He spaced out for a second, and then snapped his attention back to Raven, smirking crazily.

Not liking the look on Beast Boy's face, Raven suspiciously asked, "What?"

"So, that was you, for real? You playing video games? You _laughing_? _You_ sitting next to me at breakfast?"

"Well…yeah. But for good reason!" she retorted. "I had to. It was part of my cover as a 'love-struck' individual." She said the last part rolling her eyes.

"I see…man, you really thought all of this through, didn't you?" Beast Boy said, his index finger and thumb rubbing his chin.

Raven shrugged nonchalantly, slightly blushing from Beast Boy's compliment.

"There's just one thing I don't get, though," Beast Boy said, shaking a finger. "Why would you have a love potion book if it didn't work in the first place? I mean, is it there for decoration or something?"

"You could sort of say that now," Raven said, not looking Beast Boy in the eyes.

"Oh, c'mon, you've gotta tell me now," Beast Boy prodded a slightly embarrassed Raven. "Please?"

"Oh boy," she sighed. "This sets us _way_ back. Before the Titans were even formed."

"I'm listening."

"Remember the time you went into my magic mirror with Cyborg?"

"Kind of hard to forget," Beast Boy nodded.

"Then you remember my father?"

"Like I said: kind of hard to forget."

"OK," Raven said, beginning her explanation. "Some time ago, before you, Cyborg, and Starfire were recruited, before I even grasped or understood my powers, my…father," she said crisply, "was basically on the verge of dominating my mind and spirit and finding a way to earth. My main focus was to keep his being in control in my mind, but he was too strong for me. I went on a search all over New York for heroes who would be willing to fight alongside me to bring my father down; luckily, I didn't have to look any further. One day, on my search in Gotham City, I came upon our present-day team leader, Robin..."

_Flashback  
_

"So, what are you proposing exactly?" Robin said, on his guard, eyeing Raven skeptically.

Raven took another sip of her tea, and looked at the Gotham Knight's sidekick, wondering why he hadn't touched his drink yet. "I'm proposing that we forge an alliance – create a team of some sort – with people who are able and willing to help at all costs."

"And, you chose me for some reason or another?" Robin said, smirking slightly.

_"The dude had a big ego back then, too," Beast Boy laughed. _

_"More than he does now, believe it or not," Raven commented._

"I did," Raven admitted, stirring her cup of tea with her tea bag. "Word around the city is you're good. Real good."

"Can't complain," Robin smiled, resting his hands on the back of his head confidently.

"Are you ever going to drink your soda, or was that just a waste of my money?" Raven inquired, looking at his untouched cup.

"Right," Robin said, making a show of taking a sip, and then smiling again. "So…besides me, is there any other person you have in mind to help stop…what's his name?"

"Trigon," Raven implemented. "And yes…I _do_ know someone who would be good for us in particular."

_"So, before he joined the Justice League, people just knew him as 'Kid Flash'," Raven told Beast Boy. "And at that time, we thought he skills were just what we needed to help bring my father down…"_

"I can't. Sorry."

"Please, Wally – "

" – it's Kid Flash – "

" – Kid Flash," Raven said, standing corrected. "We really need your help. Your speed would be a great asset to the team."

"Look, I wish I could help…"

"Well, who says you can't?" Robin inquired.

"_I _do," the speed demon said tersely. "I can't help. I'm sorry. I just can't."

"Why not? Please," Raven attempted.

"Because. Look, I never _asked_ for these powers, OK? I never _asked_ to be super fast, and to have to help the world because of it when I've got my own life to live. But, I do that stuff anyway."

"Because it makes you feel good?" Robin negotiated.

Kid Flash thought about it. "Well…I guess. And for the girls."

Raven pushed for her topic of discussion again. "This _is_ helping the world, so why can't you give the team a chance?"

"Because, I don't even _know_ you!" he said. "Look. I would if I could, but I can't."

"Or you just don't want to," Raven said bluntly.

"If that's what you wanna think," were his last words, before walking off and leaving Raven and Robin hopeless.

_End flashback_

"…But we both agreed that his powers were very useful and would give us a great advantage if he was on our side, so I attempted to concoct a love potion derived from that book you made yours from."

"Oh…" Beast Boy said, nodding in understanding at the whole tale.

"Later on, I found out about the whole 'freewill' situation, and found another approach through my powers. But messing with his feelings that way just made him confused and wanting even more to stay away from us. Even so, we still found you, Cyborg, and Starfire."

"…So, you mean we were formed in the first place to overthrow your father who we never knew existed until we got into your head?"

Raven nodded.

"That is _so screwed up_!" Beast Boy said, but not at all sounding offended by any means.

"It _did_ get pretty tricky and disorganized upon our way of putting together a team, but the fact is, we're here now, and still have our freewill and such," Raven shrugged.

"…Wow," was all Beast Boy could say.

"I'm surprised it didn't take so long to explain, Raven said, stretching. "So…I guess we're even?"

"I guess so," the changeling nodded, looking a little put out. "I'm sorry I even tried putting you under a spell, though. I just wanted to show you a good time," he said, hanging his head.

"Actually, Beast Boy," Raven countered. "I know this isn't my style or anything, but if it wasn't for you and your stupid idea, I probably would have never had true fun."

Beast Boy seemed bewildered.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is, thanks for being stupid enough to come up with that idea. I meant it when I said I had fun today."

"Really?" he said, wide-eyed at the prospect of showing Raven a good time.

"Mmm-hmmm," she nodded, a trace of a smile playing on her lips. "So, are we done talking?"

"Yeah…it's pretty late."

"It's 9:30," Raven said, starting towards the corridor.

"Yep. Time for bed," Beast Boy said, yawning. "Hold on a sec."

Raven whirled around to face Beast Boy. "What?"

"You just said you meant that."

"I…did," she shrugged.

"So, remember that time yesterday at breakfast when you said that all of us guys were hunks?" Beast Boy said.

Raven knew where this was going. "Uh…"

"Did you mean _that_?" he waggled his eyebrows.

"Well…"

"So, tell me, Raven, who's the hunkiest? Huh?" he said, following her through the corridor.

"Goodnight, Beast Boy."

"Oh, c'mon, Raven, you can admit it! It's totally me, right?"

"_Beast Boy_," she sighed, the beginnings of irritation apparent in her tone.

"C'mon, just say it! 'It's you, Beast Boy. You're the cutest.' It's really easy. Oh, c'mon! Y'know you've got a little somethin' for me… everyone's got a little somethin' for the green one."

"…Whatever."

"Well, I'm glad to see _you're_ back to normal," he huffed, crossing his arms.

* * *

I'm DONE!!! YAY!!! I hope you all enjoyed!

I'm gonna be coming up with new one-shots and stuff, too, if you all wanna watch out for 'em. Again, I thank you all so much for sticking with me and reviewing these past few weeks! Happy reading, writing, and reviewing to you all!!! :D


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